Truly, Deeply Inspiring: 2016 Tony Awards Reflection

Monday, 13 June 2016

It's nights like last night that remind me of the fact that people who know me online almost aren't aware at all that my true passion is to be on the stage as opposed to writing about it; experiences like last night fuel my drive and inspiration like nothing else. This year's Tony Awards saw the blockbuster smash Hamilton take home 11 Tony Awards including Best Musical.
As well as that, The Humans taking home Best Play and British superstar Cynthia Erivo winning her first Tony Award for her turn in The Color Purple. This year, for the first time in Broadway history, all four musical acting awards went to people of colour, a proper first step in showing how diverse our new age of Broadway can be.

My predictions that I made yesterday were remarkably accurate, with only five minor mistakes (and one of them was because the one that did win was the one I wanted but didn't think would; this was for costume design on Eclipsed). My other four mistakes came in the form of thinking Jane Krakowski would win Best Featured Actress in a Musical for She Loves Me, when it actually went to Renee Elise Goldsberry in Hamilton; Best Revival of a Play going to the other Arthur Miller play, A View from the Bridge as opposed to The Crucible; She Loves Me costume design which actually went to Hamilton; and lighting design of a play going to Long Day's Journey into Night as opposed to The Humans.

Hamilton took home a total of 11 Tony Awards last night, including Best Musical

The full list of 2016 Tony Award winners is as follows:

BEST MUSICAL - Hamilton

BEST PLAY - The Humans by Stephen Karam

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL - The Color Purple

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY - A View From the Bridge

BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY - Frank Langella, The Father

BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY - Jessica Lange, Long Day’s Journey Into Night

BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL - Leslie Odom Jr., Hamilton

BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL - Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple

BEST SCORE - Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS - Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY - Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL - David Rockwell, She Loves Me

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY - David Zinn, The Humans

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY - Clint Ramos, Eclipsed

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL - Paul Tazewell, Hamilton

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL - Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton*

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL - Howell Binkley, Hamilton

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY - Natasha Katz, Long Day's Journey Into Night

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL - Thomas Kail, Hamilton

BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY - Jayne Houdyshell, The Humans

BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL - Renée Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton

BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL - Daveed Diggs, Hamilton

BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY - Reed Birney, The Humans

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY - Ivo van Hove, A View From the Bridge

For me, the most special part of this year's Tony Awards was Cynthia Erivo's win. Not only because she's an actress with such incredible talent and a wonderful place in my heart, but because of her inspiring journey. I remember seeing Cynthia sing her face off in I Can't Sing a few years back and meeting her after the show. She was the most gracious and humble human ever and was so deserving of success that would inevitably come to her. Now, as a Tony Award winner, she has made it clear that any Brit can make it if they have the determination to do so. Cynthia Erivo is an inspiration, well and truly.